Anthony trudged down the stairs, his stomach rumbling in anticipation of breakfast. He wasn’t looking forward to another school day, but at least he could count on the comfort of the familiar morning routine. Johnny was already in the kitchen, flipping through a newspaper as he sipped his coffee. Daniel was standing near the counter, pouring himself a second cup.

“Morning, kiddo,” Johnny said, looking up from his paper as Anthony reached for a piece of toast.

“Hey, champ,” Daniel added, smiling at him. But their smiles quickly shifted to concern as they noticed the shadows under Anthony’s eyes.

Johnny frowned. “You doing okay? You look… tired.”

Anthony shrugged, plastering on his best attempt at a casual smile. “Yeah, everything’s great,” he lied, not wanting to dive into the truth—that Kenny’s relentless taunting was getting to him. Besides, he could already picture Daniel’s lecture on “finding balance” or “channeling inner peace.” He couldn’t handle any of that today.

Daniel narrowed his eyes a bit but didn’t press. “If you say so. But you know you can always talk to us.”

Anthony nodded quickly, taking a bite of his toast to avoid further questions. He was saved from more scrutiny when Johnny leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead, followed by Daniel, who did the same. It was a small gesture, but one that filled him with warmth. Despite everything, he loved his parents and felt lucky to have them, even if they didn’t always understand what he was going through.

“Alright, I’m off,” he said, grabbing his backpack.

“Have a good day, bud,” Johnny called as he headed for the door, with Daniel giving him a reassuring smile. “And remember, if anything’s bothering you…”

Anthony waved dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. I know.”

As he stepped outside, Samantha was already waiting for him. She was the opposite of him in nearly every way—confident, popular, with excellent grades and a seemingly endless group of friends. They walked in silence for a bit, both lost in their own thoughts.

When they finally got to school, Samantha shot him a quick grin. “See you later, little bro.” And with that, she disappeared into a group of her friends, leaving Anthony to navigate the hallways alone.

Anthony made his way through the bustling corridors, eventually spotting his best friend, Devon Lee, by the lockers. Devon’s laid-back attitude and easy humour were exactly what he needed to take his mind off things.

“Hey, Anthony,” Devon greeted him, flashing a grin. “Ready for another thrilling day of high school?”

Anthony rolled his eyes. “Barely. But, hey, at least we get to complain together.”

As they gathered their books, Devon shot him a sympathetic look. “So, has Kenny let up at all? Or is he still being his usual charming self?”

Anthony shook his head, scoffing. “He’s worse, if anything. It’s like he’s made it his personal mission to make my life miserable.”

Devon sighed, shutting his locker with a clang. “Why can’t he just leave you alone?”

Anthony was about to respond when Devon nudged him, nodding down the hallway. “Speak of the devil.”

Anthony turned, and his stomach dropped. There was Kenny, swaggering down the hall with a few of his Cobra Kai friends, their laughter echoing off the walls. Kenny spotted Anthony almost immediately, his face lighting up with a smug grin.

“Oh, look, it’s Lawrence,” Kenny sneered as he approached, drawing the attention of his friends. “What’s wrong, Anthony? Didn’t get enough sleep? Oh, wait, do rich kids even need sleep?”

His friends snickered, and Anthony forced himself to roll his eyes, feigning indifference. “Yeah, hilarious, Kenny. You’re a real comedian.”

Kenny’s grin widened. “At least I’m good at something.” He nudged one of his friends, who chuckled, and Anthony could feel his irritation bubbling beneath the surface. But he resisted the urge to react, knowing that’s exactly what Kenny wanted.

“Let’s go, Devon,” he muttered, grabbing his friend’s arm and leading him toward their English class, grateful to escape Kenny’s mocking gaze.

They slipped into their seats, but Anthony couldn’t shake the feeling of Kenny’s eyes boring into the back of his head. He resisted the urge to turn around, instead focusing on the front of the room as their teacher, Ms. Robinson, started speaking.

“Alright, class, today we’re starting a project to help you learn more about each other,” she announced, her tone cheery. “You’ll be working in pairs to write a poem, and then you’ll present it to the class. This is an opportunity to learn from one another and explore creative expression.”

Anthony felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He’d never been good with poetry, and the last thing he wanted was to pour his feelings into a project, especially with the chance of being paired with someone like Kenny. He held his breath as Ms. Robinson began assigning pairs.

“Anthony Lawrence… and Kenny Payne,” she said, and the classroom went silent.

Anthony’s jaw dropped, and he could practically feel the collective sympathy from his classmates. Kenny, meanwhile, let out an exaggerated groan, rolling his eyes as he slouched in his seat.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Kenny muttered, his voice loud enough for half the class to hear.

“Trust me, this wasn’t my idea either,” Anthony shot back, crossing his arms.

Ms. Robinson shot them both a warning look. “I expect you two to work together respectfully. You’ll have a month to complete this project, so make sure you communicate effectively.”

As they moved to a nearby table, Kenny wasted no time launching into his usual routine. “Of course you don’t know how to write a poem,” he sneered, leaning back in his chair with a smug expression. “You probably don’t even need to. Daddy’s money can take care of everything for you, right?”

The jab hit Anthony harder than he expected. “You don’t know anything about me,” he snapped, his voice tight with frustration.

“Maybe, but I don’t need to. You’re just a spoiled brat with no backbone,” Kenny shot back, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

Anthony clenched his fists, his anger rising. “You’re such a jerk, you know that?” he muttered, barely holding himself back from escalating things further.

Their teacher noticed the tension between them and quickly intervened. “Alright, gentlemen, I expect cooperation. Settle down, or I’ll assign extra work for both of you.”

Reluctantly, they fell silent, shooting each other glares before turning their attention back to their work.

When the class finally ended, Anthony let out a sigh of relief, gathering his things as he waited for Devon. They walked out together, and Devon immediately shot him a sympathetic look. “That looked… intense. What happened?”

“Just Kenny being Kenny,” Anthony muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I’m stuck working with him for this stupid poem project, and he’s already making it a nightmare.”

Devon shook his head, his tone sympathetic. “He’s such a tool. He acts all tough, but he’s just full of hot air.”

“Yeah, well, tell that to him,” Anthony muttered, casting a glance over his shoulder. But his gaze stopped as he noticed Kenny and his girlfriend, Carissa, at the other end of the hall. Carissa was the epitome of the stereotypical popular girl—blonde, loud, and notorious for her brief flings. Watching her fawn over Kenny only made Anthony’s stomach twist.

“Look at them,” Devon said, following his gaze. “It’s kind of gross, right?”

“Yeah, totally,” Anthony muttered, shaking his head in disgust as Carissa pulled Kenny into a kiss, the scene almost theatrical in its excess.

The rest of the school day passed in a blur, a mix of lectures and mindless assignments that barely registered in Anthony’s mind. By the time the final bell rang, he felt exhausted. He met up with Samantha outside, and they walked home in near silence, the weight of the day pressing down on him.

When they got home, Daniel was already in the kitchen, preparing dinner. The familiar smell of pasta filled the house, and Anthony’s stomach grumbled, but his mood had soured too much to care.

“Dinner’s ready!” Daniel called, looking over his shoulder as Samantha slipped into a chair at the table. “Come on, Anthony. You’ve gotta eat.”

Anthony shook his head, barely glancing up as he headed for the stairs. “I’m not hungry. I’ll eat later.”

Before either of his dads could protest, he bounded up to his room, slamming the door behind him. He flung himself onto his bed, burying his face in the pillow as he tried to push all the day’s frustrations from his mind. But no matter how hard he tried, the image of Kenny’s smug grin and Carissa’s laughter lingered in his thoughts, taunting him.

He couldn’t understand why things were the way they were, why he felt like he was constantly battling an invisible force, and why Kenny had it out for him. Everything seemed too overwhelming, and he was just tired.

“I hate my life,” he whispered to the empty room, the words heavy with all the weight he’d been carrying. The silence that followed felt almost suffocating, pressing down on him as he lay there, lost in his own thoughts.